By EBIOWEI LAWAL, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Police command has arrested a 49-year-old man, Mr Akpoviri Vincent Jimmy, who allegedly goes around falsely claiming to be a licensed medical doctor and seeking jobs in Bayelsa and Delta States.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Asinim Butswat, revealed this on Tuesday during a Press Briefing at the Police Headquarters in Yenagoa.

According to Butswat, the suspect had been going around seeking jobs claiming to be Dr. Charles Umeh a serving medical doctor in Taraba State, meanwhile, his real name was later discovered to be Akpoviri Vincent Jimmy.

Explaining further, Butswat said the scheme of the suspect who hails from Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State was first exposed in Ughelli when he failed to know the correct terminologies a qualified medical doctor should know and use.

He said the suspect claimed he was working in a hospital in Bayelsa which prompted the hospital in Ughelli to probe him, adding that he will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, Dr. Sawyer Wisdom, said that “such activities are what the state government does not like to hear, where people come in to harm residents of the state.”

He said the Ministry of Health has the capacity to detect any quack, noting that the Anti Quackery Bill is already in the State House of Assembly.

Dr. Sawyer added that this was just the beginning as they would continue to clamp down on quacks and impostors, advising such people to either quit or get the proper training.

The State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Ngowari Torunana, said that he got the information on Monday from Tobis Clinic that they had restrained a fake medical doctor.

He said he was informed by one Prof Ligha of the development, who said the suspect had come to seek employment in Tobis Clinic as a resident doctor.

According to him, after submitting his credentials in the Clinic, he returned to Delta State and raised suspicion in the hospital when he requested that an X-ray of the waist be carried out on a patient.

Dr Torunana said that the suspect had told the hospital in Ughelli that he was working as a medical doctor in Tobis Clinic for four months and handles most of their surgeries.

It was further learnt that when the suspect returned to Tobis Clinic to follow up on his job application, he was held down by staff of the Clinic who invited the police from Akenfa 2 division and had him arrested.

Dr Torunana stated that the NMA will not condone such activities, saying such people will be fished out while advising them to quietly disengage and leave the state.

The 49-year-old suspect, Mr Akpoviri Vincent Jimmy revealed to newsmen that he is a graduate of Psychology from Delta State University.

He said he has some knowledge of medicine which was why he carried out such activities, saying he used the credentials of his friend, Dr Charles Umeh without his knowledge.

According to him, he got his knowledge of medicine while working as a P.A to the late Dr Ajoke in Sapele, adding that he had not worked as a medical doctor before and only started parading himself as one recently. (Nigerian Tribune)

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